The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-25
THE PRESS PEOPLE.


Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Dec 24-Over one hundred ac-
credited newspaper correspondents and reporters
will be admitted to the reporters galleries OF the
Senate and House in the Fifteth Congress.
This is the largest number that has ever passed
the scrutiny of the press committee who
slider the applications and credentials of CORE
spondents
The require ments for admission to the report
ers' galleries have been considerably restricted.
just before tho Fftieth Congress convened
there was a mass-meeting of the professional
writer's who apply for admission to the galleries,
when what is known as the press committee was
selected This committee acts in conjunction
with the chairman of the committee
on rules in the Senate. and the Speaker
of the House of Representatives., and make
up two distinct press committees one
for either branch of Congress. It is necessary
at the converting of each session for every man
who is admitted to the galleries to make appli-
cation for a card. In his application the
spondent gives the name of the paper which he
represents, the number of times in each week it
is published, and the location of the publishing
Office. Besides this he declares he is not
gagged in the prosecution of any claims before
Congress; and that he is not interested in any
pending legislation, and is not an employe Of
the government
During the last Congress it was discovered
that three or four who were admitted to
the reporters galleries were interesting them
selves either in legislation pending before Con-
gress, or furnishing information from the de-
partments and the White House for the prose-
cution of claims, etc. The object in requiring
applicants for cards OF admission TO the galle-
ries to state specifically that they are not inter-
ested in any measure before Congress. and are
not employed under the government, is to keep
out of the space set aside for professional
writer's, class of men who do not make liveli-
hood solely by writing for the press.
The press committee at its first meeting in
this Congress took into consideration charges
which were filed against correspondents who
were interested IN pending legislation. who
were engaged in the claim agency business. and,
after deliberation. rejected their applications
for admission to the galleries The committee
also concluded to reject the application of at
least one correspondent who was guilty of
professional acts. There is an unwritten code
of ethics among the correspondents here just as
high and strictly adhered to set
up among doctors. lawyers and other pro-
fessional men. This correspondent had sent
circulars to editors throughout the country pro-
posing to furnish dispatches and letters from
the lowest being paid, but which degraded
reputable correspondents. In fact, this man
offered to do work at such rates that would not
have paid for the actual manual labor OF a
copyist, and the only manner in which he could
do this was by employing young who de-
sired to learn the newspaper business without
compensation. He is in the habit of advertising
for young men who desire to enter the profess
sion of journalism, and respondents to bis ad-
vertisements are informed that they can take q
course of instruction under him for six months
year without pay, and at the end of that
time they can shift for themselves. His jour
nalistic college bears about the same relation to
the regular profession the medical college
of the celebrated Dr. Buchanan did to the regu-
lar profession of medicine. Besides this. which
would hardly constitute a bar, he issued circu-
lars offering to represent claimants in direct tax
cases. which decidedly against the rules;
and further. it is charged that he intimated very
broadly to a government employe that he could
make a comfortable sum of money if he would
aid in securing certain contract for one Of his
(the correspondentsl friends It is absolutely
essential for the honor of the profession in
Washington that the correspondents should be
above suspicion in every respect and
for this reason the press committee Is rigid In
its requirements that man who is likely to
receive or give bride for any selfish purpose
should have the entree of the seats reserved tor
reputable writer's.
As body the newspaper correspondent OF
Washington take the highest rank in the pro-
fession in the United States. large majority
of them young men sent here from the aome
Office of the papers they represent, and are regu-
larly trained journalists, but there a few
who have been in Newspaper Row ever since
the war.
Since the death of the we'll known Major Ben:
Perley Poore. who the acknowledged dean
of the profession. and who opened Office in
Washington long before the agitation of the
abolition of slavery began in real earnest, Gen.
II. V. Boynton, of the Cincinnati Commercial
Gazette. has been recognized a leader. He
is chairman of the press committee, and proba-
bly, Yields a greater influence over the corps of
correspondents than any man in it. General
Boynton is about ifty-fSe years of age; is a lit
tie below the average height; weighs probably
135 pounds; has full beard. about one-third
gray. and is slightly deaf. He is OF the
most fluent writers in the country, and brings
the aggressive qualities which characterized his
service in the army to his desk in Newspaper
Row.
Major John NJ Carson. who represents the
Philadelphia Ledger and enjoys confidential re-
lations with George W. Childs, is the second
member of the press committee. He is about
the age of General Boynton; is fully six feet in
height; weighs less than $50; short side
whiskers. and has the distinction of being tha
best financial writer in the corps Like General
Boynton, he is a married man, and is the proud
possessor of a son who graduated with high hon
ors at the Military Academy and had the sand
to decline ''soft snap in the army. but chose
instead hard work the frontier Major Car
son is man OF dry humor, has Travelled ex-
tensively, and is a tkorouehgoing, allaround
writer who has few superiors-
e. B. Wight is SD ort, thck-set little GEN.
tlernan who if he gray would make
an excellent Santa Claus He IL, perhaps. forty
five years old; does more real hard work than
any of his associates; is encyclopedias of In
formation and has a fad" Mr. Nights fad
;s Tia house ia fflll O scrans He has